The Hunt for Dudus Continues

Death toll rising.

The anti-drug offensive, in Kingston, Jamaica, by thousands of heavily armed police and soldiers, backed with armoured cars and helicopters that started on Monday is still continuing and reports so far indicate that there have been at least 31 to 60 people killed, with almost all of the victims said to be civilians. Prime Minister Bruce Golding has expressed regret for "the loss of lives of members of the security forces and those of innocent law-abiding citizens who were caught in the cross-fire", but stressed that police would continue searching for illegal guns and crime suspects.

Police Director of Communications Karl Angell told the Reuters news agency that 26 civilians had been killed and 25 injured in Tivoli Gardens. Two other civilians were shot dead by suspected supporters of Mr Coke in Spanish Town and at least three members of the security forces have also been killed in the violence which began on Sunday.

Hospital sources have told the AFP news agency that more than 60 bodies had been unloaded on Tuesday at a morgue in one of the Jamaican capital's main hospitals.
The correspondent for AFP was first told of two lorries which had delivered "about 50 bodies" to Kingston Public Hospital, before then supposedly witnessing a third lorry of 12 bodies, including a baby, riddled with bullet wounds.

The violence is obviously bad news for the Jamaican tourist industry, with several hotels reporting cancellations. Wayne Cummings, president of Jamaica's Hotel and Tourist Association said "I'm very concerned, the entire Caribbean and the world is trying to pull itself out of a recession. This kind of hit, if one can call it that, comes at a very, very bad time."
Gun battles yesterday intermittently blocked the road to Kingston's airport and forced some flights to be cancelled. The violence has not touched tourist areas along the island's north shore, located more than 100 miles (160km) from Kingston, or Montego Bay airport, but some countries such as the US and Britain are warning their citizens against travel to Kingston and its surrounding area during the current circumstances.

The police have so far detained more than 200 people and seized a large amount of arms and ammunition in their search for alleged drug lord Christopher "Dudus" Coke, though at this moment his whereabouts is still unknown and with the authorities' intent on capturing him and those loyal to him intent on stopping that at whatever cost it is hard to see a swift end to the conflict.